Variable cam timing phaser

ABSTRACT

An assembly for a variable cam timing phaser includes a rotor extending circumferentially about an axis. The rotor has a rotor interior surface defining a bore completely therethrough and configured to receive a control valve, has a surface extending radially away from the axis and perpendicular to the rotor interior surface, and has a retention tab integral with the surface and extending axially away from the surface. The assembly further has a trigger plate coupled to the rotor, with the trigger plate defining a retention channel completely therethrough. The retention tab of the rotor is disposed in the retention channel of the trigger plate.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The subject patent application claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/272,429, which was filed on Oct. 27, 2021, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an assembly for a variable cam timing phaser.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional variable cam timing systems include a camshaft and a variable cam timing phaser configured to advance or retard a phase of the camshaft. Conventional variable cam timing phasers include a stator and a rotor disposed within the stator, with the rotor define a bore configured to receive a control valve. Conventional variable cam timing phasers further include a trigger plate used to monitor a rotational position (i.e., angle) of the camshaft during operation of the variable cam timing system. Typically, the trigger wheel is attached to the camshaft through use of threaded fasteners such as bolts. However, use of threaded fasteners such as bolts to attach conventional trigger wheels results in lengthy and expensive manufacturing of the variable cam timing phaser.

As such, there remains a need for an improved variable cam timing phaser.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

An assembly for a variable cam timing phaser includes a rotor extending circumferentially about an axis. The rotor has a rotor interior surface defining a bore completely therethrough and configured to receive a control valve, has a surface extending radially away from the axis and perpendicular to the rotor interior surface, and has a retention tab integral with the surface and extending axially away from the surface. The assembly further has a trigger plate coupled to the rotor, with the trigger plate defining a retention channel completely therethrough. The retention tab of the rotor is disposed in the retention channel of the trigger plate.

The surface of the rotor having the retention tab disposed in the retention channel defined completely through the trigger plate permits quick and cost-effective manufacture of the assembly of the variable cam timing phaser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a variable cam timing phaser including a stator extending circumferentially about an axis, and an assembly including a rotor extending circumferentially about the axis;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rotor of FIG. 1, with the rotor having a rotor interior surface defining a bore completely therethrough, a surface extending radially away from the axis and perpendicular to the rotor interior surface, and a retention tab integral with the surface and extending from an inner section of the surface such that the retention tab does not contact an outer section of the surface;

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of the assembly of FIG. 1 and having the rotor of FIG. 2, with the assembly including a trigger plate coupled to the rotor and defining a retention channel completely therethrough, and with the retention tab of the surface disposed in the retention channel of the trigger plate;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rotor of FIG. 1, with the rotor having the retention tab integral with the surface and adjacent to the outer section of the surface such that the retention tab contacts the outer section of the surface; and

FIG. 5 is a frontal view of the assembly of FIG. 1 and having the rotor of FIG. 4, with the assembly including the trigger plate coupled to the rotor and defining the retention channel completely therethrough, and with the retention tab of the surface disposed in the retention channel of the trigger plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a variable cam timing phaser 10 includes a stator 12 extending circumferentially about an axis A and an assembly 14 for the variable cam timing phaser 10 is shown in FIG. 1. The assembly 14 includes a rotor 16 extending circumferentially about the axis A. The rotor 16 is disposed within the stator 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the rotor 16 has a rotor interior surface 18 defining a bore 20 completely therethrough. The rotor 16 also has a surface 22 extending radially away from the axis A and perpendicular to the rotor interior surface 18. The rotor 16 further has a retention tab 24 integral with the surface 22. The retention tab 24 extends axially away from the surface 22. As shown in FIG. 1, the assembly 14 further includes a control valve 26 disposed within the bore 20 of the rotor 16. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the assembly 14 further includes a trigger plate 28 coupled to the rotor 16. The trigger plate 28 is also referred to as a trigger wheel 28. The trigger plate 28 defines a retention channel 30 completely therethrough. The retention tab 24 of the surface 22 is disposed in the retention channel 30 of the trigger plate 28.

It is to be appreciated that, although the rotor 16 has been described as having the retention tab 24, in alternative embodiments, the assembly 14 or the variable cam timing phaser 10 may include an additional component, such as a center plate, which includes the retention tab 24. In such alternative embodiments, the additional component, such as a center plate, is coupled to the rotor 16 and the addition component has the retention tab 24. In the alternative embodiments, the retention tab 24 still assists in coupling the trigger plate 28 to the rotor 16.

Although not required, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the retention tab 24 of the surface 22 may have a first end 32 adjacent to the surface 22 and a second end 34 spaced from the first end 32 along the axis A. The trigger plate 28 may be disposed axially between the second end 34 of the retention tab 24 and the surface 22 of the rotor 16. The first end 32 of the retention tab 24 may have a first radial width, and the second end 34 of the retention tab 24 may have a second radial width different from the first radial width. The second radial width of the second end 34 may be larger than the first radial width of the first end 32.

Although not required, the second end 34 of the retention tab 24 may be plastically deformed. The second end 34 of the retention tab 24 may be plastically deformed through at least one chosen from staking, crimping, swaging, or peening. Moreover, the retention tab 24 may have an elongated portion 36 between the first end 32 and the second end 34. The elongated portion 36 may be disposed in the retention channel 30. The elongated portion 36 may have a smooth surface 38. In other words, the elongated portion 36 may be non-threaded.

The bore 20 may be defined at a first radius relative to the axis A. The surface 22 may have an inner section 40 extending from the first radius to a second radius larger than the first radius, and may have an outer section 42 extending from the second radius to a third radius larger than the second radius. The inner section 40 may be axially indented into the rotor 16 relative to the outer section 42. Although not required, the retention tabs 24 may be disposed between the first radius and the second radius.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the retention tab 24 extends from the inner section 40 of the surface 22 such that the retention tab 24 does not contact the outer section 42 of the surface 22. In this embodiment, the retention tab 24 may be described as an island in the inner section 40. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the retention tab 24 is adjacent to the outer section 42 of the surface such that the retention tab 24 contacts the outer section 42 of the surface 22. In this embodiment, the retention tab 24 may be described as a peninsula extending from the outer section 42 into the inner section 40.

Moreover, the retention tab 24 may be arcuate in cross-section, as shown in FIG. 2. However, it is to be appreciated that the retention tab 24 may be rectangular in cross-section, as shown in FIG. 4. The retention tab 24 may be angularly tilted toward the axis A, as shown in FIG. 2. Additionally, the retention tab 24 may be further defined as two or more retention tabs 24 spaced from one another circumferentially about the axis A, and the retention channel 30 may be further defined as two or more retention channels 30 spaced form one another circumferentially about the axis A.

A method of manufacturing the assembly 14 for the variable cam timing phaser 10 is also provided. The method includes the step of disposing the retention tab 24 of the rotor 16 in the retention channel 30 of the trigger plate 28 and the step of plastically deforming the retention tab 24 of the rotor 16 to couple the trigger plate 28 to the rotor 16. Moreover, the method may further include the step of plastically deforming the second end 34 of the retention tab 24 of the rotor 16. The step of plastically deforming the retention tab 24 may be further defined as at least one chosen from staking, crimping, swaging, or peening. Additionally, the step of disposing the retention tab 24 in the retention channel 30 may precede the step of plastically deforming the retention tab 24 to couple the trigger plate 28 to the rotor 16.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings, and the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An assembly for a variable cam timing phaser, said assembly comprising; a rotor extending circumferentially about an axis, with said rotor, having a rotor interior surface defining a bore completely therethrough, said bore configured to receive a control valve, having a surface extending radially away from said axis and perpendicular to said rotor interior surface, and having a retention tab integral with said surface, said retention tab extending axially away from said surface; and a trigger plate coupled to said rotor, said trigger plate defining a retention channel completely therethrough; wherein said retention tab of said rotor is disposed in said retention channel of said trigger plate.
 2. A variable cam timing phaser comprising; a stator extending circumferentially about an axis; a rotor extending circumferentially about said axis and disposed radially within said stator, with said rotor, having a rotor interior surface defining a bore completely therethrough, having a surface extending radially away from said axis and perpendicular to said rotor interior surface, and having a retention tab integral with said surface, with said retention tab extending axially away from said surface; a control valve disposed within said bore of said rotor; and a trigger plate coupled to said rotor, said trigger plate defining a retention channel completely therethrough; wherein said retention tab of said surface is disposed in said retention channel of said trigger plate.
 3. A method of manufacturing an assembly for a variable cam timing phaser, with the assembly including a rotor extending circumferentially about an axis, the rotor having a rotor interior surface defining a bore completely therethrough and configured to receive a control valve, the rotor presenting a surface extending radially away from the axis and perpendicular to said rotor interior surface, and the rotor having a retention tab integral with the surface, with the retention tab extending axially away from the surface; and a trigger plate coupled to the rotor, the trigger plate defining a retention channel completely therethrough; said method comprising the steps of: disposing the retention tab of the rotor in the retention channel of the trigger wheel; and plastically deforming the retention tab of the rotor to couple the trigger wheel to the rotor. 